Gene Simmons Says Rock Isn't Just Dead, ‘It Was Murdered’ by File Sharing

yahoo.com ^ | September 6, 2014 | Greg Gilman

[BBell]

Gene Simmons not only thinks rock music is dead, it was “murdered” by the internet and the “entitled” Americans using it to steal music.

The KISS bassist, who is arguably one of the most successful living rock stars in the history of music, blames file sharing for the death of one of America's most beloved musical genres during a recent Esquire interview conducted by his son, Nick.

[Dallas59]

Used to make so many of my own music tapes...right off the radio!

[DemforBush]

There’s still some good rock out there, but it’s mostly underground and a few older alternative-era bands who are doing solid music that doesn’t get any airplay (Local H, Afghan Whigs, etc.)

Overall, though, I tend to agree that rock, if not dead, is awfully sick right now. Pop dominates the scene, in part because (IMHO) most pop is vapid, dance-oriented froth that works really well with the over-the-top visuals that have made megastars out of people like Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and so on. They learned the lesson of Madonna well.

[Flag_This]

"If you consider Katy “I kissed a girl” Perry and Lady “will do anything for attention” Gaga Rock and Roll then I guess they made it."

You completely missed the point, but I'll try again...

Somehow, the two examples I cited are making money despite the era of file sharing. So what is Gene Simmons whining about?

[Dallas59]

Fire fox and Downloadhelper....and Audacity.

[ronnie raygun]

Rock is funny the ones who didnt or couldnt make it are working for companies deciding whether your stuff is good.

[MamaB]

What is called music today, is not music. I have music choice on cable and my favorites are Contemporary Christian and Oldies but Goldies or something lke that. Very few tv shows are worth watchng. I enjoy listening to the oldies from my childhood and teen years. Brings back a lot of memories.

[MamaB]

God Vine has a lot of good music, too.

[Jack Hydrazine]

“IMHO there is very little real talent left in popular music.”

They are out there, but those that control the music industry aren’t really interested in them. And the ones that are out there do not have the quality of those just 10 or 15 years ago.

That’s why I listen to Postmodern Jukebox. They take current hits and significantly improve them. This group is very talented to say the least! They have over 100,000,000 views and over 600,000 subscribers.

Stay With Me - Vintage 1940s “Old Hollywood” Style Sam Smith Cover ft. Cristina Gatti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex8NBCuwcdA&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg

Rude - Vintage 1950s Sock Hop - Style MAGIC! Cover ft. Von Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9yMXzARTZE&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg

Womanizer - Vintage ‘40 Torch Song - Style Britney Spears Cover ft. Cristina Gatti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d1JrJtKqAQ&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg&index=16

All of Me - Vintage Soul John Legend Cover ft. Kiah Victoria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXS52TSweKc&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg&index=30

Pompeii - 1969 / Mad Men -Style Bastille Cover ft. Tony DeSare
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJY83K3o670&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg&index=34

Burn - Vintage ‘60s Girl Group Ellie Goulding Cover with Flame-O-Phone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZY9_Xr5XPA&index=37&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg

Say Something - Jazz / Soul A Great Big World Cover ft. Hudson Thames
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZYGPn9iN1Y&index=40&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg

Drunk in Love - Vintage Big Band / Swing Beyonce Cover ft. Cristina Gatti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtyoC7KuBDY&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg&index=42

Team - “Sad Clown With The Golden Voice” Lorde Cover ft. Puddles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HtrbMy4mU4&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg&index=44

Young and Beautiful - Vintage 1920’s Lana Del Rey / Great Gatsby Soundtrack Cover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aNCBzax8Ec&index=50&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg

Royals - (”Sad Clown With The Golden Voice” Version) - Lorde Cover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmCJEehYtU&list=UUORIeT1hk6tYBuntEXsguLg&index=56

[Caipirabob]

Meanwhile Brasil has been in a "Golden Age" of music with thousands of Pagode artists.

*Pfff* on this article. The industry is in a rut because it pushed (c)"rap". No one will buy it and an entire generation of artists were discarded in an attempt to promote filth. Many of us simply rejected them entirely and found better alternatives.

New version of Péricles' previous effort: Trajetória.

Videoclipe "Trajetória" - Ana Clara - participação especial Péricles

Péricles some 20 years ago with Grupo Exaltasamba

"I confess I love you, my love,

Look into my eyes,

I cannot live without you,

I never thought love could be like this,

I have no more words to say,

Baby, you were born for me..."

[equaviator]

I’ve heard that Gene Simmon’s real father is Jackie Mason. Is that true?

[a fool in paradise]

Rolling Stone is completely out of touch, they’ve put Justin Beiber on the cover at least 3 times.

It may sell magazines but it doesn’t have any credible view on contemporary music.

[abb]

The “Betamax Case.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corp._of_America_v._Universal_City_Studios,_Inc.

[Gay State Conservative]

I’ve bought “The Best of Three Dog Night” for times: Once in vinyl, an eight-track, a cassette tape, and a CD. That’s enough. I ain’t paying royalties again.

Very good point.I never did 8 Track or cassette but I bought lots and lots and *lots* of stuff on vinyl and CD.Also,since the advent of the internet,I've bought about 20 songs...all of them paid for via Amazon.So my collection of 50's,60's and 80's music was already completed by the dawn of the internet.

So I emphatically plead not guilty.

[Steely Tom]

I’ve heard that Gene Simmon’s real father is Jackie Mason. Is that true?

If so, the internet doesn't know about it.

Or is your question not a serious one?

[BBell]

I understood your point. I was just saying I consider neither Gaga or Perry rock.

Several of the post here have explained the new era of rock. Give the music away for free then pack em in at over priced concerts. When I was young groups would tour to promote their new albums and the concerts were not nearly as expensive as they are now. Concert tour shirts used to be big money. When was the last time you saw someone walking around with a concert shirt on that wasn't retro?

BTW, my first concert was in 1980. Blue oyster Cult and Fog Hat. $8.50.

[buwaya]

True, I’ve noticed that.
It was a very sudden thing, early 2000s.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

The big music companies systematically killed pop music, because they were so insanely greedy about it. They would rather nobody made any money, than that anybody but them made money.

A great example was that for many years, recording contracts included a clause, unenforced, that composers and musicians were just “fee for hire” employees, like any minimum wage type employee, and that the music companies owned all the rights to their music, “and derivatives”, in perpetuity.

However, out of the blue, the music companies went to congress to get the law changed so that this clause was enforceable. If they, the music companies, felt like it.

And this was on top of the music companies demands that composers and musicians had to pay for all the production and editing, and pay for the actual printing of the music as well as the advertisement. Then the music companies would truck it to record stores, and give a small cut of their net to the composer/musician.

“You do all the work, you pay for all the work, and we get all the money. Sounds fair.”

Finally, one of the greatest advertising mediums for music existed with Music Television and VH1. But after years of giving the music companies high quality advertising FOR FREE, suddenly the music companies decided that Music Television had to pay them exorbitant royalties to show music videos. Which killed it dead.

Seriously, this was Daffy Duck quality greed.

But while it lasted, MTV and VH1 burned dozens of pop stars and hundreds of songs into the public consciousness. If you were to take somebody who was a teenager or older in the 1980s to name groups and artists, they could whip out dozens. In the ‘90’s, maybe a dozen. In the 2000’s maybe just a few.

So who is going to buy music sound unheard?

[ClearCase_guy]

So what is Gene Simmons whining about?

I think his point is that the music biz isn't much about music.

I would say the same about the News Biz -- it's not about News.

Katy Perry, Gaga, Bieber and others make money. But do they make music? They make sound that sells. They dance. They have interesting clothing. Kids who want to be cool send them money.

30 years from now is Justin Bieber going to be a great rock icon like David Bowie, Jagger, Elvis, Peter Gabriel?

Don't think so. Because he doesn't make music. He just makes money.

[Fresh Wind]

Then there was this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Home_Recording_Act

[Yaelle]

My two oldest probably went to 8-10 concerts this summer, and two festivals so far, another coming up next weekend. All of them were sold out or very full. They are hard rock or indie fans and there is good rock and roll in a million different directions still being made. They play stuff for me, introduce me to bands.

They are typical young people with a religious mama who has taught them not to steal, even intellectual property, and the bands they really love, they WANT to support with their dollars. Some bands sell special at-the-concert-only versions of their records —— YES, VINYL RECORDS ARE IN IN IN NOW AGAIN - and they sell like hot cakes. That said, I know my techie guys do some file sharing, but they do say that a lot of musicians do promote their own file sharing. I bought them a Spotify subscription to help keep them from file sharing, too. Performing is alive and well, though. Merchandise is huge too.

Last night they went to see a real favorite, Coheed & Cambria. They’ve seen them about four times too. Last night they paid for the meet and greet so they could get their new vinyls signed and get official photos with the band.

No fear, the millennials are still into rock! And bummed that us Xers got rid of our old albums!